What Are We Doing In Love?
by Ms Isabella
Summary: Loosely based on the Kenny Rogers & Dottie West duet Chapter 4 up now. Please read and review. Thank you!
1. Chapter 1

Adriana paced in the lobby of the restaurant waiting for Frank. All day long she had been edgy and nervous. There was something in his voice on the phone that had made her sense something wasn't quite right with him.

She heard her phone vibrate in her purse. She pulled it out and scrolled through the maze of entering her password, unlocking, and punching up the apps screen to discover she had a text. She opened it and saw "OMW. B there in a few." She typed a short answer and stuffed the phone back in her purse.

A few minutes later, Frank entered, and she rose to meet him. "Hi," he greeted as he bent down to kiss her cheek.

"Hi."

"Commissioner, I have your table ready."

As Adriana followed the hostess, she knew something was very wrong.

Once seated, Frank ordered a glass of red for Adriana, and a Scotch for himself.

"Rough day?" she asked.

"No more than usual. What about you?"

"Same. "

He took a sip of the Scotch when it arrived. "Aid, we need to talk."

She sucked in her breath. 'Here it comes,' she thought.

"What's wrong, Frank?"

"Us. We are wrong. You're young, smart, and beautiful, and I'm old enough to be your father. What are we doing in love? We have no business being in love."

"Maybe not, but we are."

"You need to find someone else, Aid. Someone your own age who can give you what you need."

She stared across the table at him. She felt like a two ton weight had just slammed her in the chest. "So, you're saying this is the end for us?"

"I'm afraid so. I can't give you what you need."

"Just what do you think I need?" she challenged.

"For all of your independence, you really need to be that good Italian wife who has a husband and family for you to take care of."

She bit her lip. "And you're saying that you can't do that."

"I've raised my family."

"I see." She took a sip of wine, then reached for her purse. She rose from the table, and walked over to him. She kissed his cheek, and whispered in his ear. "I'll always love you, Frank."

She straightened, and turned and walked out of the restaurant, hoping she could find a cab. She blinked away the tears that welled up in her eyes. 'No,' she thought. 'There's no crying in baseball, and there's no crying on the streets of Manhattan.'


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two The Battle of D'Angelo

"I'll kill him!" Gabriel stormed as he paced the living room for the hundredth time that afternoon. He glared at Maria. "I knew I shouldn't have let you talk me out of putting her in a Convent!"

"Gabe! You'll do no such thing!" Maria scolded. "You can't threaten the Commissioner's life. Especially when he did nothing wrong. You know I could bring charges against you for that!"

"Maria, would you please knock it off? Of course he did something wrong! He hurt Our Bella! I can't let him get away with this!"

Maria stepped into his path. "Would you just cool your tush? It's not the first time Aid's been hurt. It's part of life, Gabe. Just let it go." She took another step toward him and whispered in his ear. He smiled.

"Oh, for Pete's sake you two! Go get a room!" Adriana grumbled from the couch. After watching them do battle for many years, she knew the only way her mother could get her father to calm down was to promise him sex. She rearranged the pillow and put it over her eyes.

"Bella! How dare you speak to your Mama that way!"

"Got news for you, Papa. I was talking to you too."

Gabriel sighed. He knew better than to pursue this, especially when Maria and Adriana ganged up on him. He walked over to the couch and pulled the pillow off of Adriana's face. "He only got away with this because of your Mama's request. Otherwise, we would be having a man to man discussion."

"Leave it alone, Papa. It's not his fault he broke my heart. It's mine for letting him."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing." She reached for the pillow and placed it back over her face. "Maybe in a few months, I'll feel like dating again, but not right now."

"I've heard Alex Rodriguez is single again."

"No," Adriana said firmly.

"Why not? He's a good ball player. He makes a decent living. He could probably make you happy."

Adriana sighed. "First off, he cheated on his wife. Once a cheater, always a cheater. Secondly, he's got an ego the size of the whole East Coast, and third, he's a Republican. I don't date Republicans."

"Oh, my," Maria gasped. "Gabe, she can't date him. We don't date Republicans in this family."

"I know that, Maria," Gabe said quietly. "Ok, so I'm sure there is someone else out there you would like to date."

"Not at the moment. Not unless Antonio Banderas walked in with a 14 carat ring."

"Oh, Please," Maria said in disgust. "Aid, you know better. He's married."

Beneath the pillow, Adriana rolled her eyes. "At least he's a Democrat."

Maria sighed and looked at Gabe. "Can you find someone for her to date? Any new partners in your office?"

"Not any that aren't married."

"No one in my office either. At least ones that aren't intimidated by her position. What are we going to do?"

"Call Antonio Banderas?"

"GABRIEL!"

Gabe sighed. "Maria, I have no idea. Maybe we ought to leave her alone and let her find her own way?"

"For now. But if she hasn't had a date in a month, I'm going to have to take drastic measures."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Battle of Reagan

Frank's eyes glanced up from the menu as he caught a glance of Gabriel D'Angelo escorting his wife and daughter through the restaurant. From the large bundle of balloons and several gift bags that Adriana carried, it must have been her birthday. He felt a pang of guilt.

He had spent eight months dating her, and then he had abruptly ended the relationship. While she never showed how deeply he had hurt her, he had known he had. Other women would have made an ugly scene at the news, but Adriana hadn't. She had kissed him goodbye and made a quick exit. No doubt she wanted to cry alone, but he couldn't prove that. He smiled at one memory when she had told him "There's no crying in baseball, so there's no crying at poker." He knew she adjusted the last part to fit every situation.

He glanced back toward their table and noticed she was wearing a black dress. While he knew women's fashion dictated the little black dress for most occasions, she had always worn other colors when they went out for dinner. He found himself wondering if she was wearing it because she was out with her parents. He also noticed that it was just the three of them with no escort for Adriana.

'Maybe she isn't dating,' he mused.

He called the waiter over and ordered a bottle of champagne.

"Compliments of Commissioner Reagan," the Sommlier informed Gabriel as she placed the iced bucket at his elbow. "For Miss Adriana's birthday."

"Please thank The Commissioner," Adriana said as she felt her stomach drop and then roll over.

How did he know it was her birthday? She hadn't spoken to him since he told her it was over months ago. Part of her wanted to tell her father not to accept the bottle, but she was raised to be a lady. She kept her mouth shut.

"Did you and the Commissioner make up, Aid?" Gabriel asked as he handed her a flute.

"No. I haven't spoken to him since that last night," she admitted.

She set the flute down on the table. Part of her wanted to drink the whole bottle, and get drunk. It was her 40th birthday after all. The other part, while appreciating his gesture and his being a total gentleman, wanted to let the stubborn streak kick in and let it sit there until it went flat.

She picked up her fork and took a small bite of her lobster.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Reagan vs. D'Angelo

Adriana placed her newly gifted pearl necklace into her jewelry box and closed the lid. As she started to pull the pins out of her hair, her phone buzzed. She picked it up, expecting a last Happy Birthday text from her parents. What she saw almost knocked her off of her feet.

"_Happy Birthday and Best Wishes. Need to see you. Frank."_

She took a deep breath. She still cared for Frank. She had dated some their break up but only because her parents were relentless in introducing her to the up and coming corporate attorney set. While the men she had been introduced to were nice, they just weren't Frank. They lacked his kindness and ability to see all sides of a situation, and they only seemed interested her as arm candy.

She hurriedly threw on a pair of sweats and a hoodie and sent a text back to him.

An hour later, Frank entered her building and was greeted by the doorman.

"The Judge said to go on up, Commissioner," he said.

"Thank you, Edward. Please inform the Judge I am on my way up."

Adriana opened the door as she heard his knock. "Frank," she greeted as he stepped inside.

"Hello, Aid," he said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Please, come in and sit down. Can I get you a drink?"

"Please."

She made her way to the kitchen and fixed him a Scotch, and made a cup of tea for herself.

When she returned to the living room, she noticed he had made himself comfortable on her sofa. She sat next to him and handed him the Scotch.

"Thank you for the champagne at dinner," she said

"You're welcome. I hope you enjoyed it."

"I did. It was a surprise."

He took her hand. "Aid, I need to apologize to you."

"You don't, Frank. You did what you felt you had to do."

"Yes I did," he agreed. "At the time, I thought it was the right thing to do. But now I realize that it wasn't. I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"Would you consider having dinner with me sometime?"

"Of course."

He finished his scotch, and stood up. "I'll let you get to bed. I'm sure you have had a very busy day."

She stood up and took a step toward him. "You're welcome to spend the night," she invited.


End file.
